Leaving Childhood on the Train
by CES5410
Summary: What happens to Oliver Wood after he graduates from Hogwarts? Plenty! Quidditch,fame, love, death and an inevitable war loom over Oliver as he makes his rough transition from schoolboy to adulthood.
1. Going Home

A/N: This is my first story ever. I've never done this before so any thoughts and criticism would be greatly appreciated. I would love to know what you guys think and if I should continue. Thanks so much and I hope you like the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own it, it's all just for fun

Oliver sat quietly, staring blankly at his quidditch playbook clutched in his hands. He felt the train lurch forward, startling him slightly, and he turned his attention to the window.

_This is the last time I will be on this train leaving school _he thought. He had finally graduated and was going home. Oliver thought he would be happy and excited about the start of the next part of his life, but instead he found himself already nostalgic about what he was leaving behind. He watched the scenery pass by the window as the train gained speed. The castle he spend the last seven years of his life in grew smaller and smaller into the distance.

The compartment door slid open and Oliver turned his head to see Katie Bell walk in. "Hi." she said as she sat down across from him. "Hey Katie." he replied. He looked at her and smiled halfheartedly before returning his gaze to the playbook he was still clutching. Katie watched him for a moment, noticing his tight grip on the worn leather book.

"You all right Oliver?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Oliver…." He looked up at Katie inquisitively.

"You know you're a terrible liar". Oliver smiled at this, then sighed, shaking his head. "You know me too well Katie". Oliver and Katie were great friends. They had known each other throughout their school careers and spent a lot of time together both on and off the pitch. Somehow Katie just understood him, even when he wasn't speaking. Generally a man of few words, he found this trait in her both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes he didn't want to talk about things. Today was one of those days.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong, or what"? She asked playfully, hoping to coax him into conversation. Oliver leaned back into his seat and looked at her while trying to decide what exactly to say. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure what was wrong. _Damn her for being intuitive_ he thought to himself.

Katie waited for a minute and decided to just change to subject. He would tell her when he was good and ready. That's how he worked and she knew it all to well.

"You should probably change out of your robes you know. Might look a bit silly walking around muggle London dressed like that" Oliver looked down at his robes then back up at her and laughed.

"You're right, I would look pretty odd, huh? I'll be right back, are you staying here?" he asked while grabbing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from his bag.

"I thought I might go say hi to Alicia and Angelina, but I can stay if you want".

"Oh, no I don't want to keep you, go say hello, maybe I should find them as well. Say goodbye and all". Oliver's sulky mood started to return at the thought of good-byes. He had been fine sitting by himself, but now that Katie was there, he found he didn't want her to leave him again. _I do want to keep you, Katie _he thought. He realized then what was wrong with him. Besides missing Hogwarts and his friends and of course quidditch, he was going to miss spending time with Katie. It scared him to know that this last train ride home was the end of a major chapter of his life, and he did not deal well with change.

The two stood up to leave. Katie walked left to go in search of the compartment the girls were in, and Oliver went right in the direction of the lavatory.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful. He did make it to the compartment containing not only all three of his former chasers, but the twins as well. The group laughed and talked about nothing in particular. All wished him well, now that he wasn't coming back to Hogwarts. Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione even stopped in to say goodbye and good luck before the train ride ended.

It was evening when they finally arrived back in London. Everyone gathered their belongings and went to join the crowd in the aisles pushing their way out onto the platform. Finally off the train, Oliver looked around and his friends and teammates.

"So I guess this is it, mates".

"Looks like, Wood. Stay in touch and make sure you owl us when you get picked up by a pro team".

"You know I will Fred. All of you make sure to keep in touch, and keep the team together and in top shape. We worked too damn hard this year to have it all fall apart now, and you know I'll be checking in on you!"

Oliver gave them all hugs and handshakes, prolonging the final goodbye between them for a few moments longer. The friends started going their separate ways. He could hear Mrs. Weasley's voice over the dull roar of people on the platform. She was counting and calling the names of her children out loud making sure they were all accounted for. Angelina's parents found her quickly enough and left with Alicia as well. They took the ride home together because they lived so close to each other. He started to wonder where his own parents were when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around only to have Katie fling her arms around his neck and pull him into a hug.

"I just found my mum, Ollie, looks like its time to go. I'm really going to miss you, Captain." He smiled and pulled back from her tight hold to look at her.

"I'll miss you too, Katie." She pulled him back in for another squeeze and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing her trunk, and went over to meet her mother. She gave him a final wave from across the platform and he watched her walk away until she was out of his sight.

_I'll miss everything _he thought as he picked up his own trunk and went in search of his parents. _Time to go home._

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	2. Life Changing Events

A/N: I just wanted to thank my reviewers for their kind welcome to FanFic. I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter and again, any comments or criticsms are greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

Disclaimer: Its still not mine, but it is still fun!

Oliver spent his first couple weeks at home moping about. He remembered the summer holiday being a lot more fun, but this summer was different. There were no new quidditch tactics to be devised, NEWTS were over, so no studying to be done. His friends were all away and he found himself bored and lonely.

There was nothing pressing for him to do and after the overall shock of having nothing planned he found himself relaxing. It was odd for him, he had always had something he _had_ to do, and he was always on the go. Things had changed. He spent his time practicing casually, or reading the books he had always put off reading because there had been more important matters to attend to. Relaxing was something new to Oliver. The only thing he didn't like about it was that it gave him too much time to think.

Then the letter from Puddlemere United came. They wanted him to try out officially. Scouts from all over had been at his last game at Hogwarts. Oliver knew that he had played the game of his life that day. The whole team was in top shape, and winning the House Cup was nothing short of spectacular. He had been disappointed when a professional team hadn't called him straight out of school. Quidditch was all he knew and not being recruited had not helped the depressing mood he had been in. He had no backup plan whatsoever and other career paths were a topic that frequented his thoughts.

Puddlemere's letter was just the start. The tryout was three weeks away at that point and he trained himself harder than he ever had. He was determined to get a spot on the team. He walked into the tryout with a sense of confidence he had forgotten over the past few weeks and he knew he nailed it the second he left the stadium. Now he just had to wait for his position on the team to be official.

Oliver's parents had been so excited to see their son's dreams coming true and his father went out and bought tickets to the World Cup the day the tryout letter had come. They had tried to hide it from Oliver, hoping to use the tickets as a gift for making the team, but Mr. Wood had gotten so caught up in the moment that he let the secret slip out only days after his purchase.

Oliver's second letter from Puddlemere came via owl on August 1st.

Dear Mr. Wood,

We would like to offer you the position of Keeper on the Reserve team for Puddlemere United. Practice begins on September 1st. All team accommodations will be provided. If you would like to accept our offer, please contact us as soon as possible. All details of your contract will be settled at a meeting to be set up upon your acceptance. We look forward to having you on the team, and welcome to Puddlemere United.

Regards,

Philbert Deverhill

Puddlemere United Manager

"I'm in!" he said out loud to himself. "Mum!" he cried out "Dad, where are you?"

"In the kitchen dear, what's the matter?" Mrs. Wood called up the stairs.

Oliver ran down the stairs, taking two at a time, and raced down the hallway into the kitchen skidding, just barely, to a stop in front of the kitchen table where his parents were sitting.

"I'm the new Reserve Keeper, I made the team!" He yelled, frantically waving his acceptance letter in front of their faces.

"Oh Oliver! I'm so proud of you!" Mrs. Wood stood and hugged her beaming son.

"This is fantastic news! We should go out and celebrate. Just think, my son – a professional quidditch player!" Mr. Wood stood as well and shook Oliver's hand while grinning like a maniac.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Oliver and his parents returned home late that night. The family had gone to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Oliver had managed to make it through the embarrassment of his father telling anyone who would listen that his son was a professional quidditch player. He had been congratulated more that night then he recalled ever before, though they received a few peculiar looks from the occasional muggle his father had told his news to.

Oliver's parents went straight to bed, worn out from the nights' celebration, but he found himself too wound up to do the same. He went up to his room anyway and changed for bed. He paced the room for a few minutes, unsure what he should do with himself, when his eyes settled onto his old Gryffindor playbook laying on his desk. He sat down and took the book in his hands, the familiarity giving him comfort he didn't know he needed.

He opened the book and a picture of the team fell into his lap. He picked up the picture and watched the figures inside laughing, crying and celebrating. Well, Oliver had been crying, everyone else had been laughing. He chuckled at the memory and ran his fingers gently over the image before placing it back in the book. _Not a better moment to be had_. he thought._ I wonder what everyone is doing. I miss them. I wonder if they miss me. It's too bloody boring around here. To quiet… _

He pulled out some parchment and a quill from the desk drawer. _First things first_ he said to himself, and wrote the letter that would change his life. He accepted Puddlemere's offer and would join the team.

Oliver then wrote to his friends, remembering his promise to keep in touch and to let them all know he had finally achieved his dream of playing professionally. He also wrote about the World Cup, and that he was looking forward to seeing everyone there. After finishing his letters, he decided the next important thing to do would be to go to bed. Oliver's owl, named Hoops, was out for the night and even though his mail was important, it wasn't enough to make him call the poor animal and have him flying all over England. _It can wait till morning_ he thought as he settled into bed. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head felt the pillow, a smile playing on his lips as he dreamed.


	3. The World Cup

A/N: I finally got to the third chapter. I hope you all like it. A lot of conversation goes on and I've found conversations a bit awkward to write- so again- any pointers or comments or anything are greatly appreciated. Please let me know how I'm doing!!

Disclaimer: Not mine! (Do I have to put this every time??)

Oliver groaned at the sunlight beaming in through the bedroom window of his new flat.

"I have to get some shades immediately" he claimed out loud as he rolled onto his back, stretching, and rubbed his eyes. Sitting up, he looked around his new room while debating getting out of the warmth of his bed, or going back to sleep. Sleep was winning at the moment until his eyes settled on the alarm clock on his nightstand. He shot out of bed and ran to his small bathroom

_Eight o'clock already! I'm going to be late! _Oliver took the fastest shower he ever had, then dashed back to his room to change. He was supposed to meet his parents in a half an hour. Today was the day they were leaving for the World Cup.

Finally changed, he grabbed his overnight bag, grateful he had decided to pack it the night before, and apparated to his parents home.

Mrs. Wood looked up from The Daily Prophet and smiled as her son bent down to kiss her cheek. "Morning dear, care for some breakfast before we leave?" she asked.

"Absolutely, I'm starved!" he said. He sat down at the table and grabbed a piece of toast from the plate in front of him

"Bit different living on your own eh? How is the new place working out?"

"I need curtains desperately, and maybe some more furniture. It's not very homey yet, but it's only been a few weeks. Other than that it's great! Although I do miss your cooking, mum. I haven't got a clue how, and take home is getting a bit boring."

Oliver and his mother were laughing at this when Mr. Wood walked into the kitchen.

"Oh good, son, you're here. Now let's go! We have to get to the portkey in twenty minutes or be won't be going at all!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Oliver and his parents found their campsite and quickly settled in. _This is amazing, I can't believe I'm here! _He threw his bag on the cot and stepped outside the tent to take a look around. Thousands of witches and wizards from all over the world were there. The campground was flooded with people. Various banners and flags were being flown at most of the tents, showing where that particular group's loyalty lied- be it Ireland or Bulgaria. Red and green everywhere, it was inescapable. Children were riding toy brooms, hovering a few feet in the air, zipping around people and tents, while the adults were all showing off for each other, and perhaps enjoying a bit too much butterbeer for that time of morning.

Oliver's tent was just up a little hill from the main campground. In the distance he could see the stadium. The stadium was surrounded by trees, as a means of disguise, though how the Ministry though that those tiny trees would hide such a massive structure was beyond logical thought. The campground itself was a large clearing in the woods, the tree line acting as a fence to any wandering muggle eyes, along with the thousands of spells and charms surrounding the area.

He started scanning the crowds, looking for the familiar faces of his friends. He knew that Katie, Angelina and Alicia were going together, and Fred and George were going with their father. They had all replied to Oliver's letter. All except Harry, though he hadn't expected a reply from him. Knowing how terrible it was for Harry at home, Oliver wasn't sure he had even received the letter in the first place.

It was a great surprise then, to see Harry walking up the hill with the Weasley's and Hermione Granger. Oliver took off down the hill to meet them and it wasn't too long before the twins saw him and started running up the hill to meet their ex-captain.

"Oi Wood!" called Fred. The group met up and Oliver greeted everyone excitedly.

"How've you been, mate?" asked George.

"I'm brilliant, how have you two been? Potter, it's good to see you, I didn't know you were coming. Did you get my letter? Mr. Weasley, pleasure to see you again, sir. How is Mrs. Weasley? Well, I hope. Did I just see you lot walking away from that Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory? Did you come with him? Can you all believe we are here? I'm so excited! Harry, you must come meet my parents, I don't think they ever believed me when I told them you were on Gryffindor's team. I'm sure they would love to see you two as well, Fred and George. Has anyone seen the girls, I can't seem to…."

The words were spilling out of Oliver's mouth; he barely took a moment to breathe. It was as though he hadn't spoken in months and now that he had the opportunity he didn't want to lose it. He might have gone on forever of Fred hadn't clapped his hand over his mouth, finally silencing him. He looked at the group surrounding him. They were all staring at him, their own mouths hanging open in surprise at Oliver's uncharacteristic outburst.

"Have you gone mental, Oliver? Did someone put a silencing charm on you, and we broke the spell or what? I don't think you've ever said that many words all at once in your entire life." claimed George.

"Unless it was a pre-match pep talk" Fred offered.

"Well that's true of course." replied George.

"We missed you too!" the twins said in unison.

Oliver laughed, realizing how silly he must have sounded. "I'm sorry boys, it's just been such a quiet summer and I live all alone now and…."

Harry cut him off before he could start up again. "Where are your parents, I would love to meet them."

"Oh, right…. Just up there, they are. In the blue tent" Oliver pointed up the hill.

Harry, Fred and George followed Oliver back up the hill, while Mr. Weasley, Ron, Ginny and Hermione went in search of their own tent.

"Mum, Dad, come out and see my friends" Oliver called into the tent. Mr. and Mrs. Wood came out and greeted the Weasley boys warmly. Oliver introduced them both to Harry. Mr. Wood seemed quite impressed that his son knew The Boy Who Lived, although he admitted to the boy that he hadn't fully believed Oliver when he told them Harry was playing with him and they were friends.

Oliver's parents excused themselves after a few minutes, having decided to see if they could find any of their own acquaintances, and the four friends played catch up with their lives. Harry was not at all surprised to find that Oliver was playing for Puddlemere, and congratulated him fiercely. He invited the boys over for a visit, so they could check out his new flat. Fred and George were quite excited at the prospect of mischief without a parent around, Oliver being the oldest and first of their friends to move out on their own. He was about to tell the twins they had better behave themselves while visiting him when the sound of a high pitched squeal was heard from across the field.

"Oliver! Oliver Wood…. Oi, over here! Ollie!"

Oliver turned around just in time to be taken down to the ground by a blonde and two brunette girls

"OOOOPH" he cried out as he hit the dirt. Laughing he said, "I hope this is Katie, Angie and Alicia I'm hugging here, otherwise someone has some explaining to do!"

Angelina and Alicia rolled off on either side of him giggling, trying to contain themselves. Katie, who was completely on top of him as she had been in the middle of the pig pile, pushed herself up on her arms. Her smile broke into a grin as she peered down at his face. Oliver was vaguely aware of the fact that his hands had managed to find a comfortable position on her waist. The two stared at each other for a moment before Katie dropped back down on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I missed you, Ollie" she whispered in his ear. Oliver pulled her closed and whispered back. "I missed you too.

_Oh Merlin, did I miss her!_ He thought he might just lie there forever, holding her, right there on the ground. It was a strange but wonderful feeling that was washing over him that moment. _Seeing all my friends again is fantastic, but this is what I really wanted. I wanted to see Katie. How could I not see that before_?

Katie had always meant so much to him and he always looked out for her. They had always shared secrets and smiles and laughs, but he realized in that moment that he wanted more than that. He wanted her. It was a similar, but much more powerful, feeling to the one he had had on the train all those months ago when he didn't want her to leave him alone.

There was an obvious cough that came from his right hand side and both he and Katie turned their heads to a smirking Alicia.

"So Katie, you gonna let the poor boy up or what? "she asked. Katie blushed and stood quickly, brushing off her clothes, and put her hand out to help Oliver up. He grabbed it and stood, their hands lingering a bit longer than usual. Oliver didn't mind one bit.


	4. Run into the Woods

A/N: Chapter 4-yay! Anyway, please forgive me if this is not the best chapter. I've been sick, so my editing may not be that great, just a warning. Again, thanks to my reviewers. The support is awesome. Hope you guys like it, and please, please, please review!

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

It was not a calm and peaceful night, but a night full of excitement. The joyous shouts of the Irish were enough to wake the dead. The Bulgarian supporters weren't able to hide their contentedness with the game, try as they might. The party-like atmosphere was contagious. Oliver, Katie, Alicia and Angelina sat around the campfire at Oliver's tent discussing the match.

"Can you believe that game? It was over so quickly!" said Angelina.

"I know, it was all very exciting. The Irish Chasers were brilliant. I can't imagine what it must be like to play like that all the time." Came from Alicia.

"Yes, but Krum catching the snitch, all banged up like that- now that's dedication. He knew they didn't stand a chance against the Irish but still kept the teams honor. That's the kind of player I aim to be." Oliver puffed out his chest as he spoke, visions of himself playing in the World Cup danced in and out of his mind.

"All bloody and black-eyed? Alicia asked

"And on the loosing team?" Katie wanted to know.

Way to bring me down girls

"No, I want to be dedicated like he is. To do whatever it takes. You all know what I meant."

The girls all laughed, leaning into each other to talk amongst themselves. Oliver managed to make out the words "quidditch nazi", "5 a.m. practices" and "pre-game pep talks" out of their mumbled chatter, making him scowl a bit. He knew he might have gone a bit overboard at school, but he had taken his captains position quite seriously. _I did finally lead the team to victory, didn't I?_

"What's got your wand in a knot, Wood?"

"Nothing, **Johnson" **he responded, making sure to emphasize the use of her last name.

"Aww you don't need to be mean…" Angelina and Oliver bickered back and forth. They were both oblivious to the private conversation Alicia and Katie were having, until Katie screeched out "I was not staring!"

Katie blushed, upset with herself for speaking as loud as she had as well as the fact she had been caught staring at Oliver. Oliver just looked back at her, confusion on his face, but Angelina grinned after a moment after she caught on to what Katie and Alicia had been talking about.

"Don't deny it Katie, you know it's true!" Alicia laughed evilly.

"Deny what Katie? Are you two keeping secrets over there?" Oliver asked. Katie glared at her girlfriends. Oliver wasn't sure if her blush got deeper, or if it was just the way the firelight played on her face. Katie finally opened her mouth to retort when she was silenced by the sounds of screams and panic. They all looked at each other, wide eyed, as the sounds of partying turned into sounds of pain and fear. They stood simultaneously to look around at the sudden commotion. Oliver saw his parents running toward them with their wands drawn.

"Run kids, Run! Get yourselves out of here, head towards the woods!" Mr. Wood cried out.

The group needed no more explanation than that. They took off running towards the treeline, pushing their way through panicked crowds of people all headed in the same direction. Oliver grabbed Katie's hand, pulling her along, but they lost Alicia and Angelina in all the confusion.

Katie stopped abruptly when she realized the other two girls weren't right behind them, causing Oliver to stumble backwards into her, nearly knocking her to the ground.

"What are you doing, Katie? We can't stop here!"

"Angie and Alicia, where are they? They were right here!" Oliver looked around and saw she was right. They were gone. He could see people in black robes and silver masks walking, almost marching, up the small hill, setting fires and throwing curses every which way. Behind them he could see more masked figures torturing the muggle owners of the camp, twisting their bodies as they floated through the air. Ministry officials were herding people towards the woods, while others were going after the masked figures, their own wands drawn.

"Katie, we have to go, now! They'll be fine, let's go!"

Oliver hoped he was right as he grasped her hand and pulled a now crying Katie into a run. He had to get to the woods. He could safely apparate there. All of the protection spells and charms the Ministry had put on the camp had stopped him from even bothering to try before. He knew he couldn't and he knew that was why everyone else was racing towards the woods. It was the only chance of escape. _Lot of good those spells are doing for us now_ he thought bitterly as he ran.

With the treeline finally just a few paces in front of them, Oliver turned his head back to shout out to Katie.

"We can apparate just inside the woods!"

"No, I can't, I don't know how!"

_Damn, of course she wouldn't know how, she's underage_ "I'll take you along with me"

"Alright" she replied, out of breath from running.

The pair reached the woods he spun her around to face him. He saw the fear in her eyes as he said "Hold on tight!"

She grabbed his shoulders with both hands, and he threw his hands around her waist. He concentrated on where he was going, doing his best not to think about the fact he had never used side-along apparition before, and hoped to god above that they weren't splinched. He took one last glimpse at Katie before squeezing his own eyes shut. With anotherhard thought about his destination, he turned slightly on his heel and the two dissapeared with a loud pop.


	5. Now What?

**A/N: Here is chapter 5, I hope you enjoy! Please let me know what you think. I've found that reviews are probably the most exciting part of my day. Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine- this is also the disclaimer for the rest of the story. I'm kinda sick of writing it**

Oliver and Katie landed with a thud on the floor of his living room.

"Ouch!" Katie cried out and rubbed the back of her head, which had been introduced to the coffee table when she landed.

"Sorry 'bout that. I'm a bit rough on my landings as it is, never mind side-along apparition…I've never actually done it before." He said sheepishly. He stood and helped Katie back to her feet.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"My flat."

"Oh." She paused and looked around the small room before speaking again.

"Do you think Angelina and Alicia are alright?"

"I'm sure they are. I'm sure everyone is just fine." Oliver answered with false confidence, hoping to reassure Katie as well as himself. In reality he had no clue if everyone was alright. He didn't know where Angelina or Alicia had gone, or if his own parents made it to the woods. He thought briefly of George and Fred, the rest of the Weasley's, as well as Harry and Hermione. Oliver wasn't even positive on what had happened at all, just that he and Katie were safe.

"I was so scared." Katie's voice was just above a whisper, tears welling up in her eyes. Oliver took her in his arms and stroked her hair, looking for words to comfort her.

"Shhh, it's alright now- we're ok aren't we?"

"Yeah, I suppose so."

"Come on, why don't you take a seat and I'll make us some tea."

Katie nodded in agreement as he led her over to the couch. "Tea would be nice." She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

Oliver went into his small kitchen and started the kettle. He sighed heavily as he leaned against the counter. _What a night… what do I do now? Should I take her home or ask her to stay? Merlin knows what is going on out there right now. _He peeked out the doorway leading into the living room and watched Katie as she looked around, wringing her hands nervously. Oliver noted that there wasn't much for her to take in. He had few furnishings, but it was comfortable enough for him. He was by himself, with no one to impress.

Katie walked in a slow circle around the room before guiding herself into the kitchen to stand next to Oliver.

"Hey" she said softly.

"Hey"

"You alright?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah"

The kettle started whistling, making the two of them jump. Oliver grinned at his companion. "Guess I'm a bit jumpy though." She smiled at him and they shared an awkward laugh as he poured the tea and headed back over to the sofa. They sat in silence, sipping from their steamy mugs and avoiding each other's eye contact. The air was filled with awkwardness and vulnerability. Niether was sure they should enjoy the other's company without knowing the saftey status of their friends and family. Their earlier flirtations were not far from either of their minds as well. Oliver decided the quiet was a bit to awkard.

"I think you should stay here tonight." He said abruptly. Katie looked up and raised her eyebrows, surprised by his blunt statement. _Damn, I just made it even more awkward._ _Ooops…_

" No Katie, I ah I mean.. it's just, well… we don't know what's going on and I'd just feel better knowing you were here and safe."

"But everyone will be so worried if we don't let them know we're alright. We should at least let someone know where we are, Oliver."

"It's too late by now, Katie. We can get up early and let everyone know we're ok. And we should be able to get some more information in the morning. My father should hopefully know something. He works for the ministry."

"Are you sure Ollie? I don't want to put you out."

"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't."

Katie thought over his proposal for a short time before agreeing. Oliver gave her a comforting smile before turning back to his tea. They went back to silence, though this time it was pleasant.

It was Katie's turn to break the silence.

"You need curtains, Ollie."

Oliver laughed and gave her a playful shove.

"Hey!" she shouted.

"Think I don't know about my lack of curtains, Katie darling? Maybe I like it this way" he said with fake offence.

"You do not." She shoved him back. "You need a woman's touch in here."

"Oh do I?" and gave her another little shove.

"You do." Katie shoved him again, harder this time so he fell into the couch. She moved over him and straddled his legs. "And if you shove me one more time, I'm going to tickle you till you cry."

"You wouldn't" He narrowed his eyes, glaring at her.

"I would." She glared back, but he saw the playful twinkle in her eyes. Katie was the only one who knew he was ticklish. At least, he hoped she was the only one. Oliver hated being tickled, mostly due to the fact it made him giggle like a little girl and he didn't want anyone to find out about that. He could just imagine the kind of damage Fred and George would do with that type of information.

He did, however, like the fact that Katie was sitting on top of him. If it took being tickled to tears for that to happen, then so be it.

"I don't believe you" he said. He reached up and shoved he shoulders gently, testing her.

"AHHH that's it!" she cried. Katie attacked him. Her hands flew all over his body. His stomach, ribs, underarms- nothing was safe. Oliver squirmed and writhed underneath her, trying desperately to catch one of her nimble hands in his in order to lessen his torture.

"Stop it Katie, I can't breathe!"

"You can't make me!" She laughed at him wriggling beneath her.

"I consider that a challenge!" he managed to choke out between his giggles. He managed to finally catch one of her hands and used it as leverage to heave himself up, before pushing her down on the other side of the couch and began to tickle her mercilessly. The two screamed and laughed, each one fighting for dominance in their tickle war. Somehow they managed to roll off the couch in a tangle of limbs onto the floor.

BANG!

"Oww" Katie and Oliver cried out in unison. Oliver smirked as he lay sprawled out over Katie's body.

"Truce?" he asked.

"Truce."

"Alright then." Neither moved as they locked eyes, their chests both heaving, searching for air. Oliver reached up and brushed a stray strand of blonde hair from her cheek. Katie's breath caught in her throat at his gentle touch. Her eyes studied his own before flitting down to his lips and back up. He felt himself leaning closer, touching her mouth softly with his own. He prayed she wouldn't turn him away. She didn't. Katie put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him back down onto her. He caught her lips, tentatively deepening the kiss. She responded, pushing her body into his own, hugging him around his neck.

The broke the kiss, taking in much needed air. Oliver couldn't help but grin as he rolled off her, and helped Katie to her feet.

"We should get some sleep." He said softly. "You take the bed, I'll sleep out here on the couch."

"No Ollie, I'll sleep out here. I don't want to take your bed from you."

"What on earth makes you believe I would ever let you sleep on a couch? Absolutely not! Come with me, I'll lend you a T-shirt to sleep in if you want."

"Thanks." Said Katie as she followed him into his bedroom. Oliver went to his dresser and took out a shirt, handing it to Katie.

"Well, ah, goodnight. I hope you sleep well." Oliver mumbled while rubbing the back of his neck nervously, before turning to leave the room.

"Wait!"

He spun back around, taking in her form lying on his bed.

"I never thanked you for saving me tonight. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there." Katie's tears returned as thoughts of the nights earlier events replayed in her mind. Oliver walked back over and sat next to her small frame on the bed. He put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him.

"You don't have to thank me. I would do anything to keep you safe."

She turned to face him, smiling slightly, and hugged him.

"Thank you, for everything. Your such a great friend."

Oliver's heart sank a bit at her words. _Friend. She said I'm a great friend. I don't know that friend is enough for me anymore. I shouldn't have kissed her, we're both too vulnerable tonight. Now she's just trying to let me down easy…she regrets it... _He frowned slightly before looking back at her.

"I should let you get some sleep. It's been a rough day." He flashed her a small smile before saying goodnight. He left the room, closing the door behind him and made his way toward the sofa. He settled down into the cushions, trying to relax, but the day's events plagued his thoughts. His mind was definitely against him tonight. He tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position and willed his brain to shut down. It was a fight he would have lost, if the tiredness of his body hadn't finally overtaken him, and he drifted into a restless sleep.


	6. Quidditch

**A/N: Ok I'm back and sorry for the delay. I'll be honest, after that last chapter I had to do a lot of re-working to this. The kiss was not originally part of the plan and it threw me all off. So anyways, this is a bit of a filler, I guess. I need to get this story moving a bit, so expect a few small jumps in time from here on out. It shouldn't be confusing, but if it ever does, let me know and I'll be more than happy to explain.**

**Does anyone ever read these notes?**

**OK- on with the story! and please Review! please? :pouts:**

Oliver groaned and clutched his lower back as he rolled himself into a sitting position. _Bloody couch_ he thought as he scowled at the offending piece of furniture. Sighing, he stood and went to the kitchen to start some tea. He hadn't quite made it there when he heard an unfamiliar noise coming from somewhere in the confines of his home. Oliver stopped, motionless in the middle of the room. He found himself on full alert, his muscles tensed, eyes searching the dimly lit room and his ears desperate to hear the noise again. He did not have to wait long. The odd noise sounded a bit muffled this time, but it was the same as the one he had heard previously.

_What is that? I think it's coming from my room…is it…oh no I know what that is…Katie…_

He released the breath he hadn't known he had been holding, satisfied that the noise wasn't an intruder. He regained his composure and headed in the direction of his bedroom. The noise was Katie, and she was crying.

"Katie?" he called as he knocked lightly on the door.

Her muffled sobs ceased abruptly as he called her name, and he cracked the door open. He poked his head in and saw her on his bed lying on her side facing away from the door. She was hugging the feathers out of his pillow, her face buried into her shoulder muffling her sobs as her body shook slightly on the bed.

"Don't cry Katie, please don't cry." His own voice trembled at the sight of her despair, and he sat on the bed beside her. Katie rolled over to face him. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot from crying.

"Did I wake you?" she sniffed.

"No."

She curled up next to him and lay her head in his lap. "I'm sorry about all this," she said.

"Shhh don't be sorry." He ran his fingers over her face lightly, wiping away her remaining tears and she smiled slightly.

"I got scared."

"Why didn't you come get me?"

"I don't know" Katie replied as she started idly playing with the loose drawstring hanging from the waistband of his pajama pants. Oliver sucked in his breath as he watched her twist and roll the tie between her small fingers.

"Don't take this the wrong way Ollie, but I think I just want to go home…"Her voiced trailed off as she spoke.

Oliver forced the air out of his lungs and inhaled deeply before replying "Of course, I understand. We can leave right now if you want."

Katie nodded, but didn't move. Oliver rubbed her back soothingly while she started picking at the knot at the end of his drawstring. He was glad she hadn't gotten up right away. He wanted to hold her longer, though he wasn't sure if he should. It was slightly awkward to him, as he was under the impression that she didn't want him the same way he wanted her. Though here she was in his lap and completely of her own accord. _What did last night mean to her? Am I just a friend comforting another friend here? Oh Katie, what are you doing to me?_

Oliver sighed and looked down at the girl lying in his lap. "Alright Katie, lets get you home."

* * *

Oliver's professional Quidditch career had officially started. Training was brutal and he was out of shape. He sat on his broomstick dutifully guarding his three hoops, watching the scrimmage match between the reserve team and the full time players. He gripped the smooth handle of his broomstick with one hand, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun with the other and silently cursing himself for allowing his summer to come between him and quidditch.

He had allowed himself to slack off over the summer months, something he never would have done before. He generally spent his summers practicing drills and techniques, or devising new tactics. He hadn't realized how much training he had missed in those few short months post graduation. Lazy was something he had never been before, and now he was suffering for it.

Oliver kept his eyes on the Quaffle, observing the reserve chasers, his new teammates, playing an intense and complicated game of keep away as they sped towards the keeper guarding the hoops opposite him. The three weaved in, out, up, down and around the other teams' chasers, dodging beater bats and bludgers, finally reaching the end of the field. They lined up their shot. Oliver thought it was a perfect set up, but the opposing teams' keeper caught it and threw it back into play without so much as a bat of an eye. It looked as if he was bored with the whole thing.

_I would have let that shot get by me_ he thought ashamedly.

The shrill sound of the coach's whistle announced the end of the scrimmage, and Oliver flew down to the field. He dismounted and joined the rest of his team, standing in front of the coach.

"Alright team! Nice game, all of you! But I think that's enough for the day. We've trained hard this first week back, so take this weekend to recuperate and be ready to give me more on Monday. Practice starts at 8:00 am and DO NOT BE LATE! This means you McNinch…."

Everyone turned to the grinning beater, who cocked his head to the side and chuckled softly. "Aww coach, you shoulda seen her, you would have been late too!" McNinch replied.

"All right, none of that now." The coach couldn't help but grin back at the beater before he clapped his hands together loudly. "Ok, hit the showers, you all smell horrible! See you all Monday! Monday at what time people?"

"Eight a.m.!" the team replied in unison.

Oliver practically ran to the locker room after the coach's post practice speech. His body ached, his mind was tired and he longed for his bed. He disrobed, leaving his clothes where they fell and went into the shower stall. The scalding water poured down his body, washing away the aches and grime. He leaned his head on the cool tile wall and watched the water pool around his feet.

Oliver loved playing for Puddlemere. The practices were long and hard, but for the most part he enjoyed them. Playing for a national team was very different from playing at Hogwarts. The basics of the game hadn't changed, of course, but his skills and techniques needed to become a bit more refined to be playing in the big leagues. Not being in charge of the team was something to get used to as well. He wasn't used to being told what to do. He was glad he had been what others would call maniacal while playing for Hogwarts, and hoped it would give him a bit of an edge here on his new team. Oliver knew he wasn't playing quite up to par, but knew with a few more practices and at home training sessions, he would be back in top shape.

His shower done, Oliver quickly changed and apparated home.

_I'm glad this day is finally over_ he thought as he made his way to the couch and plopped down, resting his feet on the low table in front of him. Leaning his head back into the plush cushions, he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander.

He thought about the day's earlier practice and his new teammates. He thought about his old teammates and how he felt a bit bad about all those early morning practices. He thought about his friends and wondered what they were doing.

But mostly, he thought about Katie, and that night. That night that thrilled him and scared him all at the same time.

-**tap tap tap-**

"What the bloody hell is that?" Oliver spoke out loud, startled out of his thoughts, though he did not open his eyes.

**­-tap tap tap-**

Oliver groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose before slowly opening his eyes. He glanced around the room looking for the source of the tapping sound.

**-tap tap tap-**

Oliver's gaze finally came to rest on the window above the fireplace. The tapping sound had been coming from the aforementioned window, which may have dawned on him earlier if he hadn't been so eager to tune everything out.

He got up and opened the window only to find not one, not two, but six owls perched on his windowsill, each bearing letters tied to their waiting legs. After untying the letters and giving the poor, and daresay impatient creatures, treats, Oliver once again settled into the couch to read his mail.

In his hands Oliver held six letters. One from each member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Six outraged letters to be exact. Oliver could hardly breathe himself. He had hoped after reading Alicia's letter that maybe it had all been a joke. Some scam possibly, or nasty prank from the Weasley's. Sadly, the following letter from Angelina contained the same information Alicia's had. Katie's letter just further confirmed the previous two. Fred and George were so upset they had written individual letters as opposed to their usual style of co-writing one letter. Harry found the time to write him as well.

Oliver just stared in disbelief as he crumpled the pieces of parchment in his fist.

_How could they do this? All our hard work! Why now, why start this damn tournament now when they have a title to defend!_

Hogwarts would be hosting the Tri-Wizard tournament this year. The first one held since 1792.

Oliver was shaking with rage. He pounded his fists on the table and cried out-

"THEY CAN'T CANCEL QUIDDITCH!"

* * *

**A/N: Btw, I did some research about when they held the last Tri-Wizard Tournament, and 1792 was the last date given. It's kinda implied that there may have been a few more after, but the date works for me. However, if someone knows the real date, tell me and I'll change it... **

**And don't forget to review!!**


	7. A Trip to Hogsmeade

**A/N: Well at least this didn't take me as long as last time! Thanks for sticking with me through my inconsistent updates. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this… it took a long time for me to get anywhere with this chapter. I kept going in circles.**

**Don't forget to REVIEW please!! Anything and everything helps, it really does. If you are reviewing, then I want to say thank you for taking the time out to do so. Ok-on with Chapter 7!!**

* * *

Oliver stood in front of The Three Broomsticks tapping his foot impatiently. A blanket of snow had covered the little village of Hogsmeade the night before. The bitter chill in the air was a constant reminder that a warm sun and light, breezy days were too far away to even dream about. Oliver tightened his scarf as he shivered against the cold. He wrapped his arms around himself as he leaned against the wall of the building.

_Wish I spent more time memorizing the spells in Charms. A warming spell would do the trick right now, and I can't think of one to save my life! _Oliver made a mental note to look up warming spells in his old textbooks when he returned home.

_One more minute, then I'm going inside. _He was waiting for Fred, George, Katie, Angelina and Alicia to meet him. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year, and he was eager to see his friends again, despite the torture they were unknowingly putting him through at the moment.

_That's it! _He said angrily to himself. _Those bloody twits! I've waited long enough, let them come find me! _He yanked the door open and stalked over to the counter.

"One butterbeer, mate." He said to the barkeep.

Oliver sat down on a stool and grabbed the mug that had been placed in front of him. He took a swig, relaxing a bit as the liquid slid down this throat, warming his core. _Butterbeer should be its own food group, it's too good not to be _he thought to himself as he enjoyed the warmth the beverage brought him. He raised the mug to his lips once again when someone behind him grabbed his shoulder, causing him to nearly jump out of his skin. The butterbeer was not quite so lucky. It had managed to "jump" out of its container, finding a new home down the front of his shirt. He spun around to face his attacker, only to find himself inches away from George who was desperately trying to hold in his laughter. Oliver just glared at the red head, waiting for his body to stop shaking in pent up glee and his own heartbeat to return to normal.

"Sorry Wood, should have called out to you first, I suppose. Hindsight really is 20/20, eh? Here let me get that for you" George said, performing a drying spell with a quick wave of his wand. "So you gonna join us or what? We've been waiting for you forever."

"You were all in here the whole time?" Oliver asked incredulously.

"Well we've been here 'bout forty-five minutes, at least. Poor Katie over there was beginning to think you stood us up!" George pointed over his shoulder to the group sitting at a large round table in the back of the room.

"You bastards! I've been waiting outside the whole time- which is where we were all supposed to meet me, you know. We never said anything about inside."

George rolled his eyes and laughed. "It's cold out there, you know. Besides, it looks like you ended up having the same idea we had. Come on, I'll replace your drink for you."

Oliver shook his head, aggravated more at himself than his friends, and followed George back to the table. Everyone seemed as excited to see him as he was to see them, and he settled into the friendly atmosphere quickly. He was swiftly brought up to speed on the current happenings at Hogwarts. It was mainly talk of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, though the Yule Ball was a great source of gossip as well. He was told all about who was going with who, and who was snogging who, and what everyone would be wearing. It was an interesting topic, though it proved to be a bit too girly for Oliver. He started a secondary conversation with the Weasleys regarding the tournament, and soon everyone joined in.

Oliver's initial anger over the tournament had subsided, and he was starting to get excited. He made sure to read every article he could find, though he enjoyed hearing the first hand accounts much better than reading it in black and white.

He had been disappointed Angelina hadn't been chosen as Hogwarts Champion, but thought Cedric would do well enough. Oliver had a lot of respect for the Hufflepuff, though he wasn't sure how he would fair in competition with Viktor Krum. Oliver thought Cedric might be a bit too easygoing. Harry was not as much of a surprise to hear about as it should have been. He saw Harry as a little brother in his eyes, though he often considered that the boy had some sort of death wish. At very least, Harry had an eye for trouble.

Time passed quickly in the back corner of The Three Broomsticks and too soon it was time for the group to part ways. After paying their rather large tab, they bundled up, getting ready to face the cold and snow covered streets. Oliver decided to follow them back as far as he could before leaving.

Once outside, Fred threw a snowball at Alicia, who screamed and started chasing him down the road, followed quickly by George who went to save his twin from Alicia. Angelina ran after George in an attempt to stop him from helping Fred. Oliver quickened his pace hoping to catch up, when he noticed Katie had hung back from the other four, and was waiting for him. He smiled as he approached her.

"They sure are in a hurry, eh?"

"That's because I asked George to get everyone to go ahead of us. I guess that's what he came up with…" Katie replied. Oliver scrunched up his face in confusion.

"Why did you want them to go ahead?"

"Because I wanted to talk to you. Walk with me, Ollie?"

_Uh-oh here it comes._

Katie stretched her hand out toward him and he took it in his own. He tried to ignore how it seemed to warm him, despite the cold all around.

"Sure Katie, is something wrong?"

She sighed and stared at the ground as she walked, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Are we ok, Oliver?" she finally asked.

"What do you mean, why wouldn't we be?"

"Well, I've been thinking a lot lately. About that night…"

_Me too _he thought, but decided to pretend he didn't know which night she spoke of.

"That night?" he asked.

"Yes, _**that **_night. You know exactly which night I'm talking about, I know you do."

"Oh, that night…" Oliver heard his voice trail off as a feeling of dread overtook him.

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked softly.

_Because I wanted to. Because you're all I think about anymore. Because I can't stand being without you. Because I want to be more than just your friend and I want you to feel the same way. _His thoughts screamed his reasons through his head. It took everything he had not to blurt them out. To him, this was the preamble to the "we are just friends" speech he had feared may come one day.

He chose instead to shrug his shoulders and take up a great interest in his shoes.

"Oh come on Oliver, don't shut down on me now. I know that's what you're doing and this time I won't have it. We need to talk about this!" she said angrily.

Oliver stopped walking, his arms hung loosely at his sides as he stared at Katie.

"I don't know what you want me to say here, Katie! How do I answer that?"

Katie stared back, waiting for him to continue, though he found he had no words left at that point.

"What's gotten into you lately?" she asked, her voice taking a softer tone. "You haven't been yourself since you graduated. We used to share everything and now I feel like you're holding back from me. You're just so distant, I can't read you anymore. You're my best friend Ollie, we shouldn't have secrets."

_There's that "friend" word again. _Oliver sighed and leaned against a boulder on the edge of the road.

"I know I haven't been myself lately. I don't really know why. Everything just feels different somehow. Everything is changing right in front of me, and I guess I just don't know how to handle it yet."

"Things are always going to change, Oliver. You can't stop that."

"What about us Katie? Are you and I changing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are we still friends? Did I change everything between us that night?"

He prayed she wouldn't tell him things had changed for the worst. The thought of loosing Katie as a friend was even worse than his belief that she didn't reciprocate his romantic feelings toward her. That he could live with, force his emotions to retreat. Not being her friend, however, would be unbearable.

She smiled as moved closer to him, taking his frozen hands in hers.

"We've been so close for so long now, that I'm afraid you're stuck with me, Captain."

Oliver chuckled softly. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me as well then, Bell."

Katie laughed and hugged him before announcing that she had to get back to the dorms to work on her Potions essay. He released her from his hold and watched her walk away down the path. He sighed, content with the outcome of their discussion.

Oliver headed back into town. There was still an hour or so of sunlight left and he figured he could pick up a few things since he was already there. _No senses in making another stop here later. Besides, what's a trip to Hogsmeade without a stop at Quality Quidditch Supplies_ he thought, and changed his direction to head toward his favorite shop in town.

As he walked, he replayed he and Katie's conversation in his head. He noted how he had narrowly escaped explaining the kiss to her in greater detail. He was grateful, but at the same time the burden of his unexpressed feelings weighed heavily in his heart. Oliver supposed he would eventually have to tell her. _She'll figure it out anyway, if she hasn't already. She too clever not to._

Oliver reached the door of the familiar storefront and swung it open. He hadn't stepped foot inside since before the end of his final year at Hogwarts. He heard the bell above the door tinkle as he stepped in. The smell of leather and broom polish overwhelmed his senses, fond memories of the hours he had wasted pouring over every item in the store found their way into his mind. Oliver smiled as he closed his eyes, inhaling the intoxicating aroma deeply.

_I guess I missed this place. _He opened his eyes, allowing his vision to adjust to the dimly lit room before moving over to the equipment section. _Maybe a new pair of gloves? I should pick up some broom polish too._

He was examining a pair of black, hand stitched, dragons-hide keepers gloves when he heard his name coming from a voice behind him.

"Wood?"

Oliver turned and found himself face to face with Cedric Diggory.

"Diggory" he said with a friendly smile. Cedric stuck out his hand to shake Oliver's in greeting.

"Thought that was you, mate. How've you been?"

"Can't say I've been too bad, what about you? I hear you're fighting dragons these days." Cedric's face flushed a bit, but he couldn't hide the pride in his eyes as he replied.

"Yeah, Hogwarts Champion and all. It's a bit embarrassing, really. All the attention, my name in the papers… Though they're tearing poor Harry apart."

"Oh I know, that Rita Skeeter is something else. So what's your take on it all. Do you think Harry really put his name in the cup?" Oliver didn't think it seemed like something Harry would do, at least not on his own. Cedric nodded a bit as he thought before slowly responding.

"No, I don't think he did. At first, I had been pretty mad about the whole thing. But, the look on his face when he came into the room where the other champions and me were waiting… it was pure fear and confusion. I don't think he wants to do this at all. You know, he was the one who told me the first task was dragons." Cedric shuddered at the thought.

"Oh and congratulations on joining Puddlemere!" he said, changing the subject to something a bit more lighthearted. "I've always been a closet Puddlemere fan. My father is a big Wimbourne Wasps fan. I think he would go mental if he knew I didn't care for them as much as he did."

The two former opponents laughed together.

"Well Diggory, I hope you can make it to a game."

"Me too. You know, I'm really missing Quidditch right now. So much less stressful that this whole Tournament business."

"I'm sure"

Well, I should get back to the castle. I'm probably late now as it is. It was good catching up with you Wood. I hope we can become better friends now that we don't have to be rivals." Cedric said with a laugh.

"Me too Diggory. Send me an owl, and I'll try to get you a couple of tickets for one of my games. It will be great to have the support. Good luck with the Tournament, I'm sure you'll do fantastic. Maybe I'll see you next time you all have another Hogsmeade trip."

Yeah, sounds good. Thanks." Cedric smiled and shook Oliver's hand again.

"See you around then?"

"See you around."

Cedric left the store quickly. Oliver watched him sprint past the window, headed in the direction of the castle. He turned his attention back to the gloves he had been inspecting earlier and decided to buy them. He gathered them up along with a few other quidditch necessities, paid, and went out once again into the cold.

A contemplative smile crossed his face as he reflected on his day. He saw his friends, caught up with the latest current events. He narrowly escaped embarrassing himself with Katie, as well as healing their friendship, and it seemed he had made a new friend in Cedric Diggory.

_All in all a good day_ he thought. He looked around, noticing how quiet the village was now that it wasn't full of students running amok. _I should spend some more time here_ he said to himself before turning swiftly on his heel and apparating home.


	8. The Wasps and the Chaser

**A/N: I know, I know, I've been a bad girl with my updates. Truth is, I feel like my chapters are getting worse and worse. I don't want to post total crap, so I figure a longer wait is better than nothing at all. I know this chapter ends kind of abruptly, but since it's 5am, I decided to stop typing. I may make the next chapter a "part 2" and that should be comming much sooner since it is already written and just needs to be typed and tweeked.**

**A special thanks to Heyyodude and The Bold and The Brave for being awesome and constant reviewers. I swear you are the only two people reading this damn thing hahaha. Though I would like to thank all of the people who have and will(right guys) review. It means so much to me-thanks!**

**Alright, enough rambling- let me know what you think. Reviews, yay!! (please and thank you!)**

* * *

Oliver always knew that the word Quidditch was practically synonymous with the word famous. They went hand in hand. The whole wizarding world enjoyed watching quidditch. It was something that unified the hidden magical communities around the world. If one made it big in quidditch, said person would inevitably end up famous.

Somehow the thought that he might one day be one of those celebrity quidditch players hadn't crossed his mind. All he ever wanted to do was play the game he loved so much. It had been his life's breath for as long as he could recall. It only seemed natural for him to make the sport his profession rather than do something he found boring. Oliver would rather be damned to hell than work day in and day out for someplace like the Ministry of Magic. He had respect for the people who did take that direction, but it wasn't for him. Oliver needed the speed of a broom, the smell of the air and the excitement of the game.

Famous was not something he needed. He had considered it before, just like any other person in the world, but he never _needed_ it. He wasn't entirely sure he even wanted it. It seemed The Daily Prophet had a different idea.

**OLIVER WOOD- PUDDLEMERE'S SECRET WEAPON**

The headline had screamed at him with its bold lettering. It was accompanied by a photo of him swatting the quaffle away from the middle hoop with the back of his broomstick. The success of his maneuver hadn't gone unnoticed by him at the time, and showed in his cocky smirk and quirk of his eyebrows before the photo started to replay.

Oliver hardly thought of himself as a secret weapon. In fact, the only reason he had played against the Kestrals that day was because the teams' Keeper, Aiden McCabe, had been injured during practice the day before the game. McCabe had fallen off his broom when he was struck by a bludger inadvertently sent his way by Aryk McNinch, the teams' beater. Aiden wasn't able to move out of the way fast enough and landed with a loud crunch on the field.

McCabe's injuries weren't too bad, as far as quidditch injuries go. Considering the height he had fallen from, his wounds could and perhaps should have been much worse. Besides some bumps, scrapes and bruises, he suffered from a few broken and cracked ribs, a broken wrist, a twisted knee and a slight concussion. All of these injuries were easy enough to treat, though they would not be fully healed for some time. So Oliver stepped in, taking over keeper duties for the very first time.

It seemed as though Oliver had played quite well that first game. Puddlemere had won in just under three hours and up 250 points. Only a few goals had managed to sneak by the eager Keeper. According to the Prophet, his name was soon to become a household word. Oliver knew his parents were probably the proud owners of multiple copies of that day's Daily Prophet.

Oliver couldn't deny that the article was a confidence boost. He had been slowly drifting out of his somber and emotional mood. The slump of insecurity was finally lifting and he was beginning to feel like his old self again. He threw himself headfirst into all things quidditch. He even resumed devising new tactics, just to make sure he still had the ability.

Puddlemere's main team seemed to accept him with open arms. It had been an easy transition to make from the Reserve team, even if it was only temporary. He knew them all from practice, and everyone was friendly, though now it felt like he belonged.

The team consisted of two women: Ayla Hartwell and Lindsay Cowan, both Chasers. The rest of the team consisted of men: Darrin Tiernay-Beater, Garrett Linton-Chaser, Ian Bigsby-Seeker, and Aryk McNinch-Beater. Oliver was, of course, filling in for Aiden McCabe-Keeper. Aiden was also Captain of the team.

McCabe had been quite pleased with the outcome of the game, and decided to take the rest of the Christmas holiday off to relax and heal properly, leaving Oliver in his place. Puddlemere would only be playing in one more game over the winter months. It was unusual to play a game so soon after Christmas, as it was a time most people would rather spend with their families. However, there had been scheduling conflict of sorts that the Department of Magical Games couldn't seem to make heads or tails of, so they decided to proceed as scheduled.

Puddlemere United would play the Winborne Wasps two days after Christmas. Oliver would once again play Keeper for the entire match. Figuring this would be the perfect match to make good on his promise to Cedric Diggory, Oliver sent out two tickets and an invitation to spend the weekend. Hoops had flown out and was sent back immediately with an excited response of acceptance from Diggory. He had written he would attend the game with his father and that, to his father's dismay, he would be proudly wearing Puddlemere's colors in support.

* * *

The brisk air was biting Oliver's cheeks and nose as he squinted, eyeing the Wasps Chasers flying toward him. He waited impatiently as he watched their carefully calculated maneuver. He was eagerly anticipating the throw he would undoubtedly block. Oliver knew this move quite well. He remembered going over it with Katie, Angelina and Alicia in the early morning hours of his fifth year. It involved a lot of tight turns and fake outs, but he knew the chaser on the left would try to make the quaffle go through the hoop on his right.

_Here it comes_ he thought, a smirk spreading across his face. Oliver had placed himself in front of the middle hoop, lingering a bit hoping to fools the Wasps into thinking he didn't know what was coming. He angled his broom, tipping it slightly downwards and waited for the chaser to get close enough to throw.

The Wasps Chaser, a midsize but muscular man, drew his arm back and pitched the ball straight at the right side hoop. Oliver darted down, bashing the maroon ball away with the end of his broom and back into play before soaring back to his former position hovering in front of the middle goal post.

_I think that's becoming my trademark move_ he thought as he laughed out loud.

The booming voice of the commentator echoed through the stadium.

_**Another brilliant save by Puddlemere's up and comer, Oliver Wood! McCabe had better heal quickly or he'll be out of a job.**_

_**And it seems the seekers have caught sight of the snitch!**_

Oliver shielded his eyes, glancing around for the two Seekers. Puddlemere's Seeker, Ian, reminded Oliver a bit of Harry Potter, as he was a wisp of a man with untidy hair and a slight build. Oliver shuddered involuntarily as he watched Ian race upwards into the sky.

_This is where things tended to go poorly for Gryffindor _he mused before turning his attention back to the game still being played in front of him. He was grateful for his timing. The opposing chasers were lining up another shot while he had been staring at the seekers. Oliver barely managed to stop the quaffle from zooming into the high corner of the hoop he was guarding.

The commentator's voiced echoed through the crowd once again.

_**And that's it folks! Bigsby has caught the snitch, Puddlemere wins by 200 points!**_

The crowd roared with delight, overpowering the moans and catcalls made by the Winborne Wasps fans. Oliver found the noise elating, though rather deafening. Oliver and the rest of the team did a victory lap around the field before shaking hands with the opposing team and heading to the locker rooms.

Oliver sunk onto a bench and released a satisfied sigh as he began pulling off his gear. The smile he wore refused to leave his face, the whoops and hollers of his teammates only causing him to smile wider.

_Bloody hell, all this smiling is making my cheeks hurt!_

"Oi Wood, great moves out there, mate!" called Darrin, clapping him on the back as he walked past Oliver to another bench.

"Yeah, they're right, McCabe really had better watch his back, eh!" McNinch said with a booming laugh.

"Thanks, but if you two hadn't kept those bludgers off of me and the chasers it wouldn't have been possible." Oliver grinned maniacally.

Lindsay walked back into the locker room from the women's showers, rubbing a towel through her wet dirty blonde hair.

"What wouldn't have been possible?" she inquired.

"They were just congratulating Wood on a good game, and Wood was just being modest about it." Garrett informed.

"Ah" Lindsay replied simply. She sauntered over to Oliver, coming up from behind him and lightly trailed her hand from his shoulder, across his back and ending on his opposite forearm. She left her hand there as she moved in front of him, then gave him a slight squeeze as she sat straddling the bench seat to face him.

"You did play very well Oliver." She smiled as she released his arm, running her fingers through her hair.

Oliver stared at the place her hand had occupied moments ago.

"Err, thanks..." He tilted his head up to look at her, his gaze slowly meeting hers. "You played pretty well yourself."

Lindsay's eyes had a mischievous glint to them as she laughed at his reply.

Lindsay had started to become a bit over friendly and Oliver wasn't entirely sure it was welcome. She had barely spoken a word to him before he had taken over for McCabe. She hadn't been cold by any means, she just had no real reason to speak to him before. It seemed that she started paying him extra attention after that first game he played with the Kestrals. Oliver liked her well enough, and found her to be quite pretty, though he wasn't sure of her intentions. That was all besides the fact that Katie was never too far from his mind, no matter how much he tried to distract himself. No one seemed to compare.

But, Katie didn't seem to want him more than a friend, and Lindsay was practically throwing herself at him. Once could say many things about Oliver Wood, but first and foremost, he was a man. An eighteen-year-old man.

"I hope you'll be joining us later to celebrate our win. It would be great to have you come along." Lindsay said.

"Um, I'd love to Lindsay, but I have other plans. I'm meeting an old friend from school here. In fact he's probably outside waiting right now."

"Aww now that's a shame." Lindsay pushed her lips into a pout and tried to give him puppy dog eyes.

"Next time, I guess."

She sighed dramatically and spoke her next words loudly, hoping the others sharing the locker rooms might convince Oliver to go with them.

"All right Ollie, suit yourself. We'll miss you though, won't we guys?" Oliver cringed slightly when she called him Ollie. It sounded odd coming from a voice that wasn't Katie's. His other close friends occasionally called him Ollie, but Katie rarely called him anything but.

"Oh we'll miss you something terrible, Wood. I may cry." Darrin said, pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.

"McNinch, hold me!" Darrin cried out as he flung himself at Aryk.

"But who will hold me?" wailed McNinch in response. The two beaters fake cried and moan while the rest of the room's occupants laughed at their antics.

"Alright, come off it you two! Leave Wood alone!" Ayla said, giving the boys both light slaps on the arm. She turned her attention to Oliver and said

"Go on, have a good time tonight and we'll catch you next time, yeah?"

Oliver smiled gratefully at Ayla as he stood, heading into the showers to get ready to meet Cedric and his father.


End file.
